Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Gastric Ulcer Potential of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Emilia sonchifolia in Rats

Emilia sonchifolia is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of wounds, diabetes, inflammation and ulcer. This study aims to investigate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer effects of the aqueous leaf extract of Emilia sonchifolia (ALEES). In the acute toxicity test, ALEES was administered up to 5 g/kg body weight via oral route. In the ulcer experiments, Group IIVI rats were pretreated with 1000 mg/kg ethanol or ibuprofen before Group III rats received 20 mg/kg omeprazole and Group IVVI rats received various doses of ALEES. In the anti-inflammatory and analgesic studies, group II rats received 100 mg/kg acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). For the ulcer, anti-inflammatory and analgesic studies, rats were administered ALEES at doses of 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg body weight while group I served as a normal control. In ethanol-induced ulcer, rats administered 600 mg/kg ALEES showed a higher percentage (%) ulcer inhibition compared to standard drug (omeprazole) treated group (p<0.05). The % ulcer inhibition in the ibuprofen-induced ulcer test did not exhibit any significant changes (p>0.05) between the group treated with 600 mg/kg ALEES and the omeprazole group. In addition, there was no significant anti-inflammatory activity between ALEES at a dose of 600 mg/kg (52.78%) and ASA at a dose of 100 mg/kg (66.61%), however, ASA had a stronger analgesic effect compared to all ALEES-treated groups (p<0.05). The results of this study suggest that ALEES is safe and has the potential to be used as an anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory agent.